In Mapping Sitting, photographic works are presented to raise questions about how portraiture photography functioned in the Arab world as a commodity, a luxury item, an adornment, a description of... Show moreIn Mapping Sitting, photographic works are presented to raise questions about how portraiture photography functioned in the Arab world as a commodity, a luxury item, an adornment, a description of individuals and groups, and as the inscription of social identities. Photographic representations were indicative of new notions of work, leisure, play, citizenship, community, and individuality. Show less
The “League of Mauritanian Ulama” (LMU) was established in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania in 2001. The period between its foundation and the presidential election of 2003 delineates a definite... Show moreThe “League of Mauritanian Ulama” (LMU) was established in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania in 2001. The period between its foundation and the presidential election of 2003 delineates a definite change in the way Islam has been organized in Mauritania. It has become fundamental to incorporate actors not directly related with the official religious hierarchies in religiously focused discussions, and theologians have been approaching religious issues from a centralized state logic. Show less
Shadi Ghadirian is representative of the young intellectuals and avant-garde artists of Iran at the beginning of the 21st century. She studied photography and was influenced by the most liberal and... Show moreShadi Ghadirian is representative of the young intellectuals and avant-garde artists of Iran at the beginning of the 21st century. She studied photography and was influenced by the most liberal and creative of minds while even so she also worked in an environment in which she was required to participate actively in the acquisition of religious knowledge. From this situation emerges a body of work imbued with paradoxes. Show less
Asef Bayat joins the ISIM as Academic Director and the ISIM Chair at Leiden University from the American University in Cairo, Egypt, where he worked as professor of sociology and Middle East... Show moreAsef Bayat joins the ISIM as Academic Director and the ISIM Chair at Leiden University from the American University in Cairo, Egypt, where he worked as professor of sociology and Middle East Studies. He brings to the ISIM and Leiden his vast experience in the study of contemporary Muslim societies from sociohistorical and political perspectives, with social movements and social change as his central focus. Bayat's own life trajectories, educational background, professional experience, research interests, and international connections complement the scholarly areas, approach, and objectives that the ISIM pursues. Show less
The three-day conference of the African Association for the Study of Religions (AASR) will be held from February 5-8 2004, and hosted by the Department for the Study of Religions, University of... Show moreThe three-day conference of the African Association for the Study of Religions (AASR) will be held from February 5-8 2004, and hosted by the Department for the Study of Religions, University of Ghana, at Legon. It will be an important forerunner of the next International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR) Congress planned for March 24-30 2005, in Tokyo. The conference is sponsored by the IAHR and the ISIM. Show less
The workshop Saudi Arabia between 9/11, the Iraq Crisis & the Future will take place in Leiden and Amsterdam from 20 to 22 February 2004. It is organized by Paul Aarts (University of Amsterdam)... Show moreThe workshop Saudi Arabia between 9/11, the Iraq Crisis & the Future will take place in Leiden and Amsterdam from 20 to 22 February 2004. It is organized by Paul Aarts (University of Amsterdam) and Gerd Nonneman (Lancaster University, UK). The project is sponsored by the ISIM, the Netherlands' Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Lancaster University and benefits from close support by the European University Institute's Robert Schuman Centre (Prof. Giacomo Luciani). Show less
Until recently the number of newly built mosques in the Netherlands was marginal, but over the last few years several larger mosques have been built while others are in process. The architectural... Show moreUntil recently the number of newly built mosques in the Netherlands was marginal, but over the last few years several larger mosques have been built while others are in process. The architectural styles of these new mosques have provoked public debate about whether architects should fall back on traditional designs typical of those in Dutch Muslims' countries of origin or whether their designs should be more innovative and in concert with the local environment. Show less
The ISIM project 'Rights at Home: An Approach to the Internalization of Human Rights in Family Relations in Islamic Communities' organized four Capacity Building Workshops in Yemen and Tanzania in... Show moreThe ISIM project 'Rights at Home: An Approach to the Internalization of Human Rights in Family Relations in Islamic Communities' organized four Capacity Building Workshops in Yemen and Tanzania in the summer of 2003. In close cooperation with the local counterparts, the Yemeni Forum for Civil Society and the Tanzanian Sahiba Sisters Foundation a total of 150 participants were invited to come to San'a (21-24 July), Taiz (26-29 July), Aden (31 July-4 August) and Mwanza (9-17 August) respectively to enhance their knowledge and practical implementation of human rights issues within the local family. Show less
